Divorce has been part of the United States since its Colonial days. In early Colonial America, divorce was rare and was permitted if there had been adultery in the relationship, if a spouse had a long absence or if they were cruel to one another. Men were most likely to receive divorces. 70% of men from 1892-1786 received a divorce because there had been adultery.

During the times of the Revolutionary War, divorce laws changed in favor for women. Courts were more open to complaints women had about adultery. In the Nineteenth Century, most women received divorces on claims of cruelty or desertion. Women who did receive divorces in the Nineteenth Century did not receive child support. However, the courts did grant them more access to child custody.

The divorce rates in the Twentieth Century have fluctuated greatly. Since 1910-1999, there has been a 9.3% increase in Americans 18 years of age and older. The end of World War II- the early 1960’s saw a slight decline in the rate of divorce, but then went up again in the mid 1960’s. More women were joining the work force and also there was the no-fault divorce policy, which was created. These two events made marital stability even harder. Claiming a no-fault divorce means that the reason for divorce does not have to be announced for the divorce to happen.

America’s divorce rate is the highest in the world. Each state has created their own laws for the grounds of divorce. The grounds for divorce in Massachusetts are: Adultery, Mental or physical cruelty, Desertion of spouse for one year, Alcoholism, Impotency, or Drug Addiction. Fraud or being forced into marriage are the grounds for annulment.

Facts and Statistics:

• 1880- 1/21 marriages ended in divorce
• 1900- 2/3 of all divorces went to women
• 1916- 1/9 marriages ended in divorce
• 1929- 44% of divorces were granted to women for cruelty
• 1940-1990- The divorce rate more then doubled from 2.0 to 4.7%
• 1/5 of first marriages end within 5 years and 1/3 end within 10 years.
• 43% of first marriages end in separation or divorce with 15 years.
• 29 states consider a ground of divorce to be Adultery
• 28 states consider Mental or physical cruelty as a ground of divorce
• 28 states have a Desertion law. West Virginia it’ 6 months of desertion – Vermont where it’s 7 years. (Most states it’s one year)
• 22 states consider alcoholism a ground of divorce.
• 15 states consider impotency as a ground of divorce, while 17 states consider it as a ground for annulment
• 13 states consider drug addition as a ground of divorce